Verkhovna Rada Committee on State Building, Regional Policy and Local Self-Government recommends Ukrainian Parliament adopt draft law "On amendments to some legislative acts of Ukraine" (as to voluntary unification of territorial communities) as a basis

News

Morning session's over

(&nbspInformation Department of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Secretariat&nbsp)

The Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Andriy Parubiy opened the morning plenary session.

Parliamentarians went on considering the bill No.6634 on
Fam Med based primary health care. It was then rejected anew.

There was announced a 30-minute recess.

Upon the break, the Ukrainian Radical Party
Leader Oleh Liashko broached again the yesterday’s issue that faction demands
immediate adoption of the faction’s resolution No.9265 drafted to cancel recent
gas prices hike initiated by the government and to bring a standstill in
further rising of natural gas prices for populace. This statement was widely upheld by
other parliamentary factions.

After the speeches, the lawmakers proceeded with
debating over the business of the day.

Laws, bills and resolutions passed

On 75th anniversary of deportation

--Draft resolution No.8603

The parliament passed the resolution “On commemoration
of the 75th anniversary of commencement of the 1944-1951 deportation
of Ukrainians from theLemkivshchyna,
Nadsiannia,Kholmshchyna, South Pidliashshia,
Liubachivshchyna, West Boikivshchyna regions at governmental level”.

The paper injoins to hold countrywide memorables, sets
the Deportation memorial day to be every second Sunday of September, recommends
the president of Ukraine to proclaim 2019 as a year of remembrance of deported Ukrainians,
and instructs the Cabinet to arrange and provide for the memorables in 2019.

On contiguous
zone

--Draft bill No.8361

On the first reading, there has been validated the
bill “On contiguous zone of Ukraine”.

The bill suggests establishing the status and defining
the legal regime of the contiguous zone of Ukraine, as well as the procedure
for exercising there the rights of Ukraine as a coastal state under its constitution,
rules of international law, international treaties and laws of Ukraine. Delimitation
of the zone is to be conducted pursuant to the rules of international law and international
treaties of Ukraine. The bill is to frame Ukraine’s rights in the zone. Through
its authorities in charge, Ukraine administers control and justice needful for:

prevention of violation of customs, fiscal,
immigration and sanitary rules within the territory of Ukraine, including its internal
sea waters and territorial sea, established by laws and other regulatory acts
of Ukraine;

punishment for violation of the said rules committed
within Ukraine, including its internal sea waters and territorial sea as well
as within the contiguous zone as set forth by this law.

The bill also proposes to amend the laws of Ukraine
"On the protection of the cultural heritage of Ukraine", "On the
State Border Guard Service of Ukraine", "On the protection of the archaeological
heritage of Ukraine".

Adoption of the bill shall contribute to expansion of the
territory under control by twelve nautical miles, significantly cut the Black
Sea trafficking, avert illegal border crossing, improve the security situation
in the region and ensure Ukraine’s economic sovereignty.

On excise tax
for light vehicles

--Draft law No.8487

The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (VRU) passed the law of Ukraine
“On amendments to the Customs Code of Ukraine with regard to excise tax assessment
of light vehicles”.

A new Article 20 in the Chapter
XX of the “Transitional provisions” stipulates that there will be introduced a special
temporary factor 0.5 to the tax rate for vehicles listed in the sub-clause 215.3.51 of the clause 215.3 of the Article 215 of the Code
(save the vehicles specified under the product sub-items 8703 10 18 00, 8703 90 10 10, 8703 90 10 90, 8703 90 90 00). This factor is to become 0.75 for
the same items not later than 90 days from this draft law’s effective date.

The factors established by this article are to apply to
used light vehicles imported into Ukraine’s customs territory for personal use on
the basis of one vehicle per person importer.

The subchapter 10 is supplemented with a new Article
49.

The law harmonizes terminology used both in the Tax
Code of Ukraine and in the law of Ukraine “On National Police”.

On better
administration and new rates for certain taxes and duties

--Draft bill No.9260

There was carried on the first reading the bill “On
amendments to the Tax Code of Ukraine and some other legal enactments with
regard to management improvement and revision of rates for certain taxes and
duties”.

The bill provides for:

a rise of excise tax for tobacco products by 9 per cent starting
from July 1, 2019;

charge on land for unassessed plots not exceeding 0,1
per cent; permission for local councils to establish special land tax rates for
forest lands;

all backlog decisions made by the State Fiscal Service
of Ukraine (SFS) are to be immediately communicated to the finance ministry regardless
of amount;

a sharp hike in green tax rate for stationary sources’
CO2 emissions up to UAH 10 per ton starting from January 1, 2019, with stepwise
upping the rate to UAH 30/ton by 2023;

a rise of petroleum and gas condensate royalty by 2 per
cent and 0.8 per cent – for iron ore;

a hike in land rent for special-use forests by fifty per
cent;

a range of novations in administering the SEARP fuel
sales system;

total licensing of business entities engaged in
production, storage, wholesaling and retailing fuel;

launching a system of control over intended use of aviation
fuel, establishing responsibility for the fuel misuse;

assigning within the SEARP system a special cabinet
for record keeping of travel of spirit;

a zero excise for ethanol used for production of deluted
acetic acid (vinegar), perfume and toiletry goods, and techware (non-consumer
goods);

ensuring all-round control over intended use of spirit
through specified technical requirements to entities which obtain spirit at a zero
excise rate, combined with daily reporting to inspection bodies;

above mentioned changes in administering of fuel and spirit
excises become effective from July 1, 2019, while the responsibility – from October
1, 2019;

as fiscal agents are now regarded to be postal
operators and express-delivery services considered liable from now on for VAT-related
payments up to the state budget for goods that enter Ukraine’s customs
territory in international parcels, express deliveries or unaccompanied baggage.